The Interview
by Ashton09
Summary: Kara isn't nervous about the interview. At least, not exactly. For Supercat week day one- canon divergence


Kara is probably the only being on the planet that can walk into a job interview with Cat Grant and not be nervous about the outcome. Anyone else would be put off by the previous assistant running past in tears, but not Kara. Kara knows she has the job, is utterly certain in her ability to rock this interview and the outcome ahead. She has no reason to be nervous about getting the position.

She is nervous about seeing the CEO of course, even if the interview is likely to be nothing more than a mere formality. It's been more than four years since she's seen the woman, but she can remember every moment of that day, even the hours that had nothing to do with their meeting. She can remember Eliza fussing about the trip, the annoying chatter of her classmates that had pressed a little too hard against her sensitive hearing, the smell of the ocean as she'd walked along the beach.

And she can remember the strange intimacy of standing so close to the woman she'd just met.

Innocent proximity or not, that moment stands out more than anything else to Kara, had been the basis of a hero crush that had plagued her college years until she'd gotten it under control. She's not sure what had caused it exactly, why a few minutes (or close to an hour) had affected her so strongly, but they had. Maybe it was how self-assured the woman had been, despite her near panic. Maybe it was knowing that despite only a ten year difference the older woman had done so much with her life while Kara was still struggling to find her own footing. All Kara knows for sure is that something about the woman captured her attention and refused to let go even after years had passed.

But that was years ago, and Kara is an adult with a college degree now, an adult who actually has a plan to get her own life on track. Starting with this interview, which she's sure she'll be able to fly through easily. And as much as she misses actually flying, the swooping sensation in her stomach at the thought of seeing Cat Grant again just might make up for it. Apparently her hero crush wasn't quite as under control as she'd thought.

Even the note of impatience she hears in the call for "my 10:15" isn't enough to dent Kara's confidence, and she walks into Cat's office with a smile, desperately trying to get her sudden surge of emotions long buried under control. "Miss Grant, hi" she starts, not sure how the older woman will want to handle the interview. She'd been promised a place at CatCo should her grades merit one, had been mailed a form containing a web address and credentials for what seemed to be a private application server, separate from the regular link on CatCo's website. So getting the job doesn't seem to be an issue here, and that leaves Kara a little uncertain of how the next few minutes will go.

"Kara, what on earth are you doing here?" Cat asks when she looks up, and suddenly Kara _is_ worried about how this interview will go.

"I'm interviewing for the position" she says uncertainly, fidgeting with the folder in her hands. Of all the scenarios she'd imagined, this hadn't been one of them.

"This position is for an assistant, not any of the far more lucrative positions you could have applied for. I've kept an eye on your grades and the pieces you've written, you could easily go into a junior reporter position and quickly move up. Why would you want to be a lowly assistant when you could soon have your name on bylines every week?" Cat sounds more puzzled than frustrated, with Kara takes as a good sign. She's heard the rumors about the woman's temper even if she's never felt it directed at her, and she's glad that this day isn't ruining that streak.

"I haven't done anything to earn that position yet" Kara says softly, looking at the wall of televisions behind the CEO for a moment, trying to imagine one of her stories up there. It's too far out of reach though, too far beyond where Kara sees herself right now. She'll get there eventually, perhaps, but right now it's just not her. "I haven't done anything to prove myself, to make myself worthwhile."

"You saved my son" Cat reminds her sharply, and Kara stifles a laugh, knowing it won't go over well. But it's strange to have someone annoyed that she isn't pushing to be more than average, she hasn't had anyone encourage her to shine in years. "Honestly Kara, what is that if not worthwhile?"

"Saving Carter was absolutely the right thing to do" Kara agrees instantly, not doubting that for a second. "But it's a part of my life that I can't live right now, part of myself I can't reveal to the world. So is it really part of who I am?" For a moment Kara wonders why she's being this open with a woman she's only met once before, but then she remembers the look in Cat's eyes as she just talked all those years ago, the understanding and empathy as Kara had shared details about Krypton and her loss that no one had heard before. After that, there's not really anything Kara feels the need to hide from the woman in front of her.

"Well, as much as I'm tempted to disagree with your personal assessments, I did promise you a position if you earned it, and if this is the one you want, far be it from me to deny you. Maybe an alien will be able to last more than three months." From what Kara has heard about Cat's demands and personality, she thinks that might just be the trick needed for success. That and having the CEO firmly in your debt, not that Kara has any desire to play that card.

"I'm sure it'll be great" Kara says confidently, smiling brightly as she signs the papers Cat holds out. She can't wait to start.

X

"You couldn't have given me a little warning that National City was going to have their very own superhero crash onto the scene? Jesus, Kara, every reporter I have is scrambling to write this story and keep the Planet from scooping us, a little heads up would have been nice." Cat is angry in a way that Kara hasn't seen since the Chipotle incident two years ago, and it would be a little frightening if Kara wasn't still hopped up on adrenaline from the night before.

"I'm sorry Miss Grant, I should have called you last night, but I swear I didn't intend to save a plane and come out to the entire city. It just sort of happened, you know?" Kara tries not to think about what she would have done if Alex hadn't been on that plane, if she would have let it crash to keep her secret intact. She's had to sit out multiple disasters over the years, but now that she's actually saved the day she can't imagine doing otherwise.

"I thought you weren't using your powers anymore" Cat says, anger fading to be replaced by curiosity and something more. It takes Kara a minute to place, but then she realizes that it's _hunger_ , a need to know the story, to control the narrative in front of her. Kara has seen it a few times from her boss over the years, but never directed at her, and even after revealing herself to the city it's a little unsettling.

"I wasn't" Kara admits, because she hasn't really used them in years beyond a few small things here and there to make life or her job easier. "But my sister was on that plane, and I had to help." She's lost so much, set aside so much of who she is and could be, and the thought of losing anything or anyone else had been too much.

"That's certainly a strong argument for leaving secrecy behind" Cat says after a moment of studying Kara carefully. "Have you considered what you're going to do after this? You've certainly picked a very showy and high profile method of coming out, I don't think attempting to hide in a cape rack will be very effective after this. Much more exposed than a closet." And oh, two years of following Cat's every order and demand should have done something to temper this hero crush, but it doesn't seem to have worked. If anything it seems to be worse, because hearing her boss talk about closets and coming out while she's staring at her with that hunger is definitely making Kara want to squirm.

"I hadn't thought about it" Kara admits as she looks away in an attempt to break the tension, hoping Cat will assume her nerves are due to the hero situation rather than anything else. "It all just sort of happened, I'm still in a little bit of shock that it did."

"Can I at least count on you to keep me in the loop for any future heroic crusades? Nothing that will expose you, of course, but I refuse to let Lois and the rest of the Planet hacks get more out of this than CatCo." It's more of a concession than Kara had expected, and one she's willing to agree with.

"Of course Miss Grant, it's basically job security for me, right? I trust you to keep my secrets, same as you have for years now, and I'd honestly prefer that anything else I'm willing to share with the world come through someone I know I can trust that way." Alex might be pissed at her for this, more than she is for revealing herself in the first place, but Kara doesn't know how to go back to hiding after the way the rescue made her feel.

"Oh, I'd love to run a full exposé on Supergirl, I'm sure you realize that. It's the story of a lifetime, especially after years of no one discovering Superman's identity. But a promise is a promise, and CatCo will stick to the information you provide, so make sure you make it worth my while." And that's why Kara is completely comfortable trusting Cat, the sincerity in her words is clear for anyone who listens, even hidden as it is behind layers of bite and seeming disinterest. No matter how much of a story Kara becomes, she knows Cat Grant will keep her secrets safe, will keep her safe.

"Of course Miss Grant. Will a first look at my official superhero costume be enough? Winn is sketching out a few designs for me right now; we should have a final version in a day or so." Kara had tried to come up with a design on her own, but fashion has never been her strength, and the fashions from Krypton that she remembers are all either too severe for her needs, too ornate, or too plain.

"You let someone else know your secret already? My, Kara, you do move fast." There's hurt in Cat's tone now, hurt that Kara can hear just as clearly as the sincerity from a moment ago.

"We have a standing breakfast meeting every Wednesday before work to plan Thursday's game nights, and he has a minor in fashion design. Between that and him being one of my best friends, I didn't want to hide from him, and I thought he could help," Kara explains, wanting to ease Cat's hurt feelings.

"And you trust him with your image? Your identity is one thing, I suppose I can understand wanting to tell your friends now that you've come out, but your image will be entirely different. Not something you should trust to an amateur." Despite the dismissive tone Kara understands that this is Cat's way of forgiving her for telling Winn before coming to work, and she can't help the smile that springs to her face.

"I've seen some of his work from college, and I have full power of veto," she tries to reassure her boss. She does trust Winn, even if she'd had to talk him out of a glorified bikini once already. And it's not like she can walk into a department store and pick something up.

"Kara, I hate to break it to you but superheroes cannot fly around in pastel cardigans and expect to be taken seriously. Your fashion sense leaves my level of confidence somewhat lower than I would prefer." The criticism is accompanied by a pointed look at the light blue cardigan Kara has donned over her dress for the day, and brings a flush to the Kryptonian's face. "If the city is going to respect you, you will need something more than a quick outfit thrown together by someone with no real experience, something that will inspire confidence and trust."

"What if I bring you the sketches?" Kara says after a moment of thought, knowing that Cat has some good points. Winn had been entirely too attached to the thought of that bikini earlier until Kara had threatened to set the napkin he'd used as paper on fire. "I trust him to come up with some good ideas, but you know this city and its people better than anyone else."

"I suppose that would be a mildly acceptable first step, Kara. And if you'd like, I'll see about procuring some sturdy fabric blends, something that can hold up to your heroic ventures. It would help if I knew the details of your abilities, of course." There's an edge of the earlier hunger in her voice, and Kara can't help responding, not to soothe it, but to feed it.

"As long as it's between us and not the rest of the world, ask away." It might be a bad idea, but Kara can't deny Cat Grant anything, even her closest secrets. She's not even sure she minds.

X

"Kara, this is ridiculous! We've talked about this, and you're still jumping into situations you're not ready for. My God, that tanker was at a dead stop and you decided going zero to sixty was the best method? I know you have brains in that head of yours, why not learn to use them for something more than fetching layouts and coffee?" Cat's diatribe has Kara hanging her head in shame, far worse than the one Alex had delivered earlier in the day. It's worse because Cat is entirely right, not bothering to hold back or soften her blows for Kara's sake. She never has, and it's one of the things Kara respects most about her, even if it's not always pleasant.

"I was focused on getting it away from the fire, I didn't think about the pressure on the welds" Kara admits, not looking up from studying her hands. At least they're out on the balcony, saving her the embarrassment of what would look like a job related discipline hearing if anyone were to see them inside the office. "I was calculating the best trajectory to get away from the fire as quickly as possible, I didn't take the time to calculate the stress points and inertial forces." It's not an excuse, Kara's Kryptonian brain is literally _built_ to allow her to multitask complex equations in her head, but she hasn't had much use for the ability since coming to Earth and she sometimes forgets that there are times she needs to.

"You can do better, Supergirl, we both know that," Cat says softly, and Kara can hear her turn. "You're trying too hard, too fast, but that doesn't change the fact that when you do succeed you manage amazing things. You just need to step up your planning and critical thinking skills under pressure." Now that was closer to what Alex had told her, without the lighthearted sisterly abuse attached. Of course, it came after nearly half an hour of much sharper criticism, but that didn't much to Kara at this point. At least it showed that Cat cared. As much as Kara knows that the woman does, will always believe that to be true, sometimes she needs the reassurance.

"My sister already has a plan to have me practicing against computer simulations to train my intellect as well as my body. I've gotten used to focusing on no more than two or three problems at once, if I'm going to quit making mistakes I need to be able to juggle seven or eight even in the worst of situations." It's surprisingly easy to admit her failings to the woman in front of her, despite knowing that she will receive no leniency for them. She doesn't need leniency for this, she needs guidance and direction, the two things Cat Grant is more than capable of giving.

"The fact that working for me wasn't already a particularly harrowing situation is disheartening, Kara. I take great pride in being the boss from hell." Now that the lecture seems to be over and Kara has openly admitted her failing, as well as the plan to solve it, Cat is almost teasing. It's happened more and more over the years, the older woman seeming to forget the strict boundaries she usually keeps between boss and employee, and Kara loves each and every time it happens.

"Of all the things I fear from this planet, you're definitely in the top ten Miss Grant" Kara says with a hint of a laugh, hoping her words won't be taken too seriously. They're true, every word, but not in the way her boss had meant them. No, Kara is afraid of just how much she's starting to feel for the woman, how the crush is deepening into something more with every conversation, every glance, every piece of advice. It's almost overwhelming, and Kara knows that it's all in her head, that she'll never be able to act on the growing feelings. Knowing that only makes it worse, of course.

"Well then, let's see if we can't make that top five," comes the unexpected response, with an equally unexpected heated stare. If Kara were a little more confident she might wonder what it means, but in this persona and location, she can't even meet Cat's eyes, instead looking down at her hands once more as a blush creeps across her face. At this rate Cat Grant might end up at the top of the list before Kara knows it.

X

Kara should be surprised at how easily Cat reads her mildly panicked look when Leslie appears. She's sure she can take the woman even if she isn't sure what exactly her powers are, but she can't reveal her identity in case those unknown abilities are more than she can handle tonight. So when Cat treats her just as she would any other employee, sending her down to 'get security' and out of Leslie's sight, carefully pitching her voice to carry without seeming to.

The few minutes Cat is out of Kara's sight are some of the most nerve-wracking she's ever experienced, but she knows she can't just go bursting into the office seconds after leaving. Cat and Alex both have stressed the importance of planning in the middle of fights, and Kara knows she'll have to time this carefully. She has to make it seem like she'd only barely arrived in time to make the possibility she'd be there from the beginning seem ridiculous. But knowing that doesn't make it any easier to stop the worry she'll be a second too late and Cat will be hurt.

Kara manages to time it correctly, but hadn't anticipated just how strong Leslie's attack would be. It sends her staggering back the slightest bit before she can brace herself, stubbornly refusing to let anything happen to Cat. She'll take the not quite pain any day if it means the older woman is safe.

She doesn't realize exactly what had been going through her head during the fight until it's over, until she's looking down at her boss in the recently plummeting elevator. She can't help the wide smile of relief at seeing Cat safe, if in a mild state of shock, and only barely manages to fight back the urge to hold the woman close until her trembling stops. Only the knowledge that Cat wouldn't want anyone, even her, to acknowledge that sign of weakness holds her back. She compromises by flying slowly up the elevator shaft with the woman in her arms, giving her time to compose herself before facing the DEO agents who are just beginning to arrive after Kara's earlier distress call. She can hear them a few floors above where she'd stopped the elevator car, and knows a few extra moments will make all the difference in Cat's level of comfort as she pretends to be fine in front of them.

"The agents don't know that you know about who I am," Kara remembers to warn her boss before they reach the office floor, not wanting her to say anything that might result in 'debriefings' at the DEO base until the agents are satisfied with her level of discretion. Kara trusts the woman, and that's enough as far as she's concerned. "Do you want me to stay as Supergirl, or finally show up with security?"

"Do they know you were here to begin with?" Cat asks, and Kara stops their upward momentum for a moment to finish the conversation.

"Alex might if she's talked to her mom, and if they track my phone they would know, but I didn't let them know I was here before Leslie when I called them." It had been more of a 'get here now' call before cutting her comms, and she fully expects a lecture from both Hank and Alex over that one later. But Cat's safety had come first, and she'd known that they wouldn't approve of that aspect of her plans.

"Well security is one old man and the ground patrols tonight, so why don't you rush off and come back to tell me you sensibly hid until someone actually trained to cover the situation showed up? From a mere assistant that's about what I'd expect." The words hurt in a way that Kara doesn't understand, because she can hear the meaning behind them. She knows that Cat understands she isn't a _mere_ anything, that she'd risked herself tonight to save the woman. But Kara knows she would have done the same regardless of her powers, and the fact that Cat doesn't see that doesn't sit well for some reason.

"I'd never leave you to face danger on your own, Miss Grant, no matter what," is all she says before closing the distance to where the agents are waiting for them, not giving her boss a chance to respond. It's cowardly in a way that Kara feels slightly ashamed of, and she knows it might set the woman on edge in a new way just as she wants to present a completely composed façade to the world, but she can't help it. She needs Cat to know.

True to the plan she rushes off as soon as Cat is safely on the ground away from the gaping elevator shaft, muttering something about a fire caused by the blackout in order to get out of the office and circle around to a lower floor where she can change and head back upstairs. Even if she's afraid of the consequences of her cowardice, she won't leave Cat alone to face Hank and the other DEO agents any longer than she has to.

"Finally Kara, how long does it take to grab a few guards and come back upstairs? The whole mess is already over with, probably for the best since I see no one with you." There's a trace of venom in Cat's words that tell Kara her earlier avoidance had been noticed and was not appreciated, but to their audience just sounds like the infamous Cat Grant dealing with perceived incompetence the way she always does.

"I'm sorry Miss Grant; it was only Charlie on camera watch tonight with it being a holiday, and the ground patrols lost contact when the power went out. I wanted to come back upstairs, but Charlie insisted I wait with him while he called the authorities and until he got the backup power online for the security cameras." It's a better lie than Kara would have been able to come up with on her own, and she's grateful Cat had come up with it before Kara upset her. She just hopes her boss still plays along with the charade.

"I suppose that's a remarkably competent decision given the circumstances, and you did come back up afterwards. Now see if you can keep these agents from destroying my building more than Leslie already did. They have my statement, I'm sure they'll want yours as well." And with that Cat walks into her office to settle on one of the couches, looking for all the world like the destruction around her doesn't make any impression on her.

Hank does have a few questions that Kara tries to focus on, but she knows it's obvious her attention is elsewhere at the moment when he knows more about an alien species than she does. She'd aced Differential Physiology on Krypton, and while they hadn't covered every alien species in the galaxy before she'd left for Earth, between three years of the class and what she'd studied on her own she knows the basics of most known forms of life the DEO would have reason to encounter. Hopefully Hank will dismiss it as being overwhelmed by the electrical shocks from earlier; she _is_ still feeling vague after effects of the attacks.

"If they last through the night, come to the DEO for a physical, understood?" he asks when she tells him, having learned by now that hiding her physical state does more harm than good, and that she needs to be honest with him in order for his agents to support her properly.

"Of course Director, but I'm sure it'll pass," she says seriously, trying to seem more professional in front of him. She knows he considers her a child, doesn't need Alex to tell her that, and her distraction tonight probably doesn't help her chances of impressing him. Maybe a little professionalism will go a long way, much as it feels like pretending.

Before long Cat has made more than enough pointed comments to have the agents packing up, Hank not even fighting once he sees the determined look in her eyes. The agents have all the samples they need to run every test they can think of, and Kara has subtly indicated that she doesn't intend to leave Cat's side for the night, so there's no reason for them to stick around. Their gear is gathered quickly while the women sit across from each other in Cat's office, Kara not bothering to escort them out even though she knows she should.

"So, are you finally going to explain that last comment of yours?" Cat asks once they receive word that the last government SUV has pulled away, and Kara knows her time is up. "It sounded a lot like a promise or a confession, and that was definitely not the time for either of those things." There's no way she's getting out of this one, but that doesn't mean Kara knows what to say.

"I don't want anything to hurt you," is all Kara can think of, and she knows it isn't enough even as it's also too much. She needs to be honest; Cat deserves that much even if it makes Kara feel uncomfortably like a child with a hero crush. "You've done so much for me, Miss Grant, for so many years. From college to my position here, to keeping my secret when there's no real gain for you. It means so much to me. You mean so much to me. And I know it's ridiculous, which is why I don't know what I'm trying to even say right now. I just know I don't want anything to hurt you." It's far more than she should have said, more than Kara has even admitted to herself, but she can't take any of it back. She'd meant every word, and far more than she can put into words.

"Kara, I owe all of that to you, you know that," Cat starts, and Kara can't listen to her finish that sentence.

"You've given me so much as thanks for saving Carter, but I would have saved him anyway. You can never owe me for doing the right thing. I'm beyond thankful for all you've given me, but I'm not here because of that, not anymore. Maybe I never was." Kara might be working through her own emotions as they talk, but she's certain of that much.

"Then why are you here?" Cat says, trying for her signature dismissive tone, but Kara knows her better than that by now. She can't tell what's hiding behind that mask, but she knows Cat doesn't mean it, that she desperately wants to hear Kara's answer. And that's all Kara needs to find her courage.

"You, Miss Grant. I'm here because of you. You teach me so much, you've given me so much even just in the years I've been your assistant. You run this company, you raise an amazing little boy, and you still find time to mentor your assistant and her superhero alter ego through their mistakes. You care, and it's made me care more than I'd realized until Leslie was about to hurt you." Cat hasn't interrupted yet, hasn't looked away from the sheer honesty in Kara's eyes, and as hard as it is Kara takes that as permission to keep going. "You were in danger, and suddenly that was all that mattered to me. Not my safety, I knew I could take her. But I didn't know if I could keep her from hurting you, and that terrified me."

"Do I really mean that much to you?" Cat asks softly, so quietly that only Kara's super hearing allows her to hear the question, and the note of uncertainty it holds. Cat Grant is never uncertain about anything, that's a truth that every CatCo employee learns in their first week, but apparently Kara has one more ability than she'd thought.

"You could mean everything to me" Kara says without thinking, not hearing how it could sound until the words are out of her mouth. She means them every bit as much as everything else she's said tonight, but she hadn't meant to be quite that honest.

"Kara, I'm older than you, you're my assistant, and you're just starting out in the real world. Anything between us would always be complicated, with a ridiculous number of hoops to jump through and assumptions to field. You shouldn't do that to your career." Cat sounds sure, sounds as if she's listing rational and well thought out reasons why the two of them wouldn't work, but the very fact that she's obviously thought about this to make a list makes Kara want to tear it into pieces.

Lists don't take into account the surge of fear she'd felt when Leslie had appeared, the sense of dread she'd felt every second Cat was out of her sight. They can't quantify the security of feeling Cat in her arms, the sense of completion that had come from knowing she'd protected the woman. No list is that thorough, because no words can fully explain the emotions Kara has felt tonight, not in English or Kryptonese.

"You're only ten years older than me, that's not a significant gap. I applied to be your assistant over every other open opportunity, which means the power imbalance that could exist there really doesn't. We both know that it's exactly where I want to be, and why I want to be there, and the rest of the world wouldn't matter. The agency I work with has made a science of training me to jump through hoops, and none of those promise to be as rewarding as the ones I'd jump through to keep you safe and happy. As for my career, moving up any time soon would be a mistake while I'm still learning how to be Supergirl, and who knows what will happen after I do manage that?" Cat doesn't seem convinced, but Kara can tell she's holding on to her reasons by a thread, clutching them to her chest like a security blanket she can't quite let go of. "I'm not trying to push anything, I swear Miss Grant. I'm happy as your assistant, as your protégé, and as hopefully your friend. Every one of those things means so much to me, no matter what. But I meant every word I said tonight, I won't take anything back no matter what you decide."

"Damn it, Kara, how can anyone argue with you?" Cat says after a long moment of silence, face twisted into a wry smile as her posture slowly relaxes. "For all the babbling on you resort to, you somehow know exactly what to say. It's highly inconvenient."

"Would you like me to stop?" Kara asks, knowing the answer but needing Cat to tell her.

"Don't you dare," Cat says fiercely before standing and crossing to Kara's couch, sitting closer than they have before and taking one of Kara's hands in her own. "You can't say things like that and then take them back or just stop saying them. This may be the biggest mistake of my life, but I want to hear you say those things every chance you get."

"As often as you want," Kara promises, gathering her courage to lean in and place a soft kiss to Cat's lips. She half expects to be pushed away even after everything that's been said, but Cat just smiles as she pulls back, reaching her free hand up to cup Kara's face.

"I think you'd better add doing that to the list as well," she says before closing the gap once more.


End file.
